The present invention relates generally to a system for creating video products on storage media, and, more particularly to a system for creating a customized video product based on a user's selection criteria.
Systems for broadcasting individually customized video presentations are well-known in the prior art. Such systems are often referred to as "video on demand" or VOD. Typically, these systems provide a headend unit, such as a video file server, which contains a plurality of prestored video programs or video information. A user requests one or more programs and the headend unit delivers the programs over a communication medium for live viewing by the user on a television screen or display monitor. No provision is made to permanently capture the video programs. While a user could connect a video recorder to the incoming video signal to capture the video programs, taping functions (e.g., operation of the video recorder) must be controlled by the user, independent of the incoming video signal.
In the prior art, it is also known to assemble and edit selected video segments to create a customized video product. Typically, this process requires manually loading and unloading videotapes from machines, selecting the desired segments, and recording them onto a master tape. Copies of the master tape are then made for customers. Typical video editing and assembling equipment is complicated and must be run by a skilled operator.
Despite the large amount of video processing equipment available today, there is still a need for video processing equipment which can generate an individually customized video product from a store of video segments in a fast, user-friendly and inexpensive manner, which can select and order video segments from user-entered information, and which is under program control by a computer which coordinates both the selection of video segments and the operation of one or more video recorders used for making the video product. The present invention fills these needs.